Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (left) with the José Martí Order from Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana on September 20. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Cuba has never felt alone thanks to the country’s time-tested solidarity with Việt Nam, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez has said in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency. 

Regarding the significance of the historical relations between Cuba and Việt Nam as well as of the official friendship visit to Cuba by President of Việt Nam Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, he affirmed that the heroic Vietnamese people were always among the most sincere friends of Cuba in complicated times, expressing his gratitude to Vietnam’s consistent support for Cuba’s struggle to end the unjust economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the US.

The countries celebrated 60 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties last year, he said. Since the revolutionary government of Cuba set up relations with Việt Nam on October 2, 1961, the special and steadfast relationship had been nurtured by leaders Fidel Castro and Raul Castro of Cuba and Hồ Chí Minh of Việt Nam, during difficult times of the struggle for national liberation and reunification as well as the national construction of the Vietnamese people.

Many schools, public squares and facilities in Cuba have borne Vietnamese names as symbols of an era and mutual feelings of a sound and long-standing solidarity between the nations.

Cuba takes pride in being the first country to recognise the National Liberation Front for South Việt Nam and accept a permanent mission of the Front in Havana. 1967 was named the “Year of Heroic Việt Nam” in Cuba, and two years later the Caribbean nation was the first to recognise the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Việt Nam and opened an embassy deep in the forest in northern Việt Nam, President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez recalled.

Many Vietnamese students had been studying in Cuban universities, he added.

Under the leadership of the Communist Parties, both countries had stayed consistent on the path of building socialism based on their respective realities. They have regularly shared experience, demonstrating a rare mutual political trust supplemented by the bilateral cooperation across all fields.

In the context of the ongoing pandemic, Cuba welcomed the visit by President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and the leaders reached consensus on the unchanged target of the comprehensive development of the bilateral relations.

"It is noteworthy that the pandemic cannot hinder political dialogues at the highest level between Cuba and Việt Nam," the Cuban leader underlined.

He said that high-ranking leaders would continue to pay attention to and give top priority to the exemplary relationship of the two nations.

The top leader of Cuba said the two countries would step up cooperation in potential fields of food security, information work and the fight against hostile communication campaigns.

They would also join hands in the conservation of historical memories and strengthen close collaboration in spheres of mutual concern among outstanding international issues.

The special relationship and long-lasting cohesion between the two nations, Parties and Governments served as a solid foundation to elevate economic, commercial and financial ties on par with the sound political relations. 

The nations were expected to lift trade exchanges and economic cooperation to a higher level with the signing of the plan of action to implement the middle-term economic agenda for the 2021-25 period.

With the supply and technology transfer of Cuba’s Abdala COVID-19 vaccine for Việt Nam, the countries’ friendship had been strengthened as Cuba and Việt Nam tightened their partnership in health care and biotechnology, he stated.

The Cuban leader believes that Việt Nam holds potential in enhancing its position as one of the largest Asia-Oceania investors in Cuba. 

For its part, Cuba would continue creating a favourable business climate for the same goal based on the potential of Vietnamese firms operating in the country, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez said.

Việt Nam and Cuba could also expand collaboration in other fields such as energy, tourism, medical services, industry-agriculture and food industry.

He quoted Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s who once said: “For Việt Nam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood”, adding that now Cuba stands ready to supply and transfer production technology of COVID-19 vaccines for Việt Nam.

“In the face of global challenges, Cuba and Việt Nam will definitely win when we are united,” he reiterated. — VNS